THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE 1821 TO 1833 BY W.ALISON PHILLIPS 1897

264 THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE
was fixed upon as the place of rendezvous for the al-
and meanwhile Codrington sailed to Nau-
lied fleets;
plia
to inform the Greek Government of the decision
of the Powers. The news was received by the Greeks
with the wildest demonstrations of delight; and there
was no need to use any threat of force to induce them
to agree to the armistice. In the present crisis of its
fortunes the Hellenic Government was only too glad
to accept the intervention of the Powers, and, on the
advice of the British admiral,
once more transferred
its seat to the island of zEgina, in order to escape from
the terrorism of the factions, and to have a free hand
in dealing with the foreign representatives.
Meanwhile the armistice, accepted by the Greeks,
had been rejected by the Turks with scorn. The
Porte, indeed, refused to believe that the Powers were
in earnest, or that, in the last resort, they would appeal
to force. At Constantinople a solemn farce was enacted
to proclaim to all the world at once the determination
and the clemency of the Sultan. The Greek
Patriarch was compelled formally to implore the Imperial
forgiveness for such of the revolted provinces
as had already submitted, and the prayer was ostentatiously
granted. At the same time, a powerful armament
was fitted out to proceed to the reduction of the
islands of Hydra and Spezzia.
Mehemet Ali, too, had